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A proposed plan by the Tampa Bay Rays to split its season between its current home in Florida and Montreal has been rejected by Major League Baseball, in a decision Rays owner Stu Sternberg described as “flat-out deflating.” This outcome is likely to extend the franchise’s long-running search for a new ballpark and calls into question the team’s long-term future in the area.

Despite more than a decade of sustained success on the field, spurred by a baseball operations department considered among the game’s best, the Rays continue to play before sparse crowds at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the franchise’s home since its inaugural season in 1998. The team’s lease on the ballpark does not expire until 2028; Sternberg insisted he has no plans to sell his club or pursue relocation.

“We’ll see how the stands look this year, the support we get,” Sternberg said. “That’s going to inform us, as well, going forward with our plans.”

In a news conference on Tuesday announcing MLB’s decision, which was rendered by commissioner Rob Manfred’s executive council, Sternberg expressed his regret that this plan could not bring baseball back to Montreal, which has not hosted MLB games since the Expos departed for Washington in 2004. The two-city plan was met with skepticism when MLB permitted the Rays to explore the possibility in 2019. Sternberg described the plan as a “bold concept” which he believes will be raised by other clubs in the future.

“Partial seasons are going to be the wave of the future in professional sports,” he said.

But split-season setups will not be the norm in the present. Instead, the Rays will ponder a fundamental problem for the organization: Winning games has not drawn people into The Trop, which is located more than 20 miles away from downtown Tampa, connected to the city through the traffic-plagued corridor of Interstate 276.

Since 2008, the year of Tampa Bay’s first postseason appearance, the team has posted a .545 winning percentage, the fourth-best in the sport. The Rays reached the World Series in 2020. The club set a franchise record with 100 victories in 2021. And still the park resides with the majority of its seats empty, with only 9,513 average fans per night in 2021, the 28th lowest tally in baseball. This result qualified as an improvement from 2018 and 2019, when the team ranked 29th. The team finished last in attendance each season from 2012 to 2017.

“And that’s coming off three postseason appearances, 100 wins, a World Series appearance,” Sternberg said. “Plus a decade or more of excellence. That informs the idea that we should have people in the stands. I understand we’re not going to be 12th in attendance in baseball, or 10th. It’s just not to be, unfortunately. But it would be ideal if, off a 100-win season, we could fall somewhere like No. 20 in attendance in Major League Baseball. I don’t think it’s too much to ask.”

Sternberg, who took over the franchise in 2005, said he would consider options for a new ballpark in both St. Petersburg and Tampa. At various times over the past 15 years, the Rays have discussed new sites at several different locations in the area, most recently featuring a proposal for the downtown Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City.

At the 2018 Winter Meetings, Sternberg said the Ybor City plan had fallen through. That next summer, MLB permitted the Rays to investigate a split agreement with Montreal. Sternberg said he was unsure why the executive council made its decision to kill the project. Sternberg was asked if he felt “betrayed” by his fellow owners.

“That’s a word,” he said. “That’s a word.” He added, “The game is peculiar. Things happen for a lot of reasons — sometimes for the good, but always with good intentions for the game itself. We just quite often have differing opinions on what that might mean.”

(Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

The Buccaneers get set to host their second playoff game this season as the Los Angeles Rams come to town for the Divisional Round. Tampa Bay dominated the Philadelphia Eagles in a Wild Card rout that saw three turnovers forced by the defense while the offense put up yet another 30-plus point performance.

The Bucs have scored over 30 points in every one of their playoff games dating back to the 2020 season with quarterback Tom Brady at the helm. They averaged 30.1 points per game in 2021, good for the second-best mark in the league.

The Tampa Bay defense will also need to keep up their takeaway trend if they want to get past the Rams this time. Week Three saw the defense record no takeaways, one of just three games without forcing a turnover this season. The Bucs were 0-3 in such games. With the Rams possessing the seventh-ranked scoring offense, Tampa Bay will likely need to create extra possessions to keep up with their own offensive benchmark while also limiting Los Angeles' scoring opportunities.

It all happens on a special edition of NBC's Sunday Night Football. It will be the fourth time Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michelle Tafoya and the Sunday Night Football crew will call a Bucs game this season.

Matchup:

Los Angeles Rams (13-5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (14-4)

Watch on TV:

Watch on Mobile

The stream is available through Yahoo Sports, the Buccaneers Official App and online at Buccaneers.com.

*Please check local listings to confirm availability. Geographic and device restrictions apply. Local & primetime games only. Data charges may apply.

Listen Live:

Broadcast Crew: Gene Deckerhoff (play by play), Dave Moore (color), T.J. Rives (sideline)

Broadcast Crew: Carlos Bohorquez (play by play), Martin Gramatica (color)

*In-market fans can listen through the Bucs Official App

Satellite Radio

On the Bucs Official App*

Social Media Accounts:

Follow the club for live gameday updates, videos and behind-the-scenes photos.

Follow our official game blog on the Bucs' website, starting at kickoff, for notes, summaries and analysis from the Raymond James Stadium press box.

BurgerFi, one of the nation’s fastest-growing premium fast-casual concepts and Fast Casual’s 2021 Brand of the Year, just announced the opening of three new restaurants in the Tampa Bay reigon. The grab-and-go burger joint is the perfect lunch spot for residents in the bustling downtown areas of the Sunshine City and the city of Tampa. Its growth in both populated riverfront districts, and growing suburban areas showcases the concepts broad culinary appeal.

The concept made a splash on the 800 block of Central Avenue just over a year ago. Its presence at Sparkman Wharf puts it in good company alongside other concept such as Hampton Chocolate Factory, the forthcoming Noble Rice, and Wich Please!.

Side note: the fantastic art installation “Tampa Fresh Foods” by Lucy Sparrow is now on view just a few blocks away.

To celebrate the occasion, the BurgerFi team is inviting diners to enjoy a free cheeseburger through the restaurant’s app from Jan. 19 through Feb. 1 at The Preserve Marketplace and Sparkman Wharf locations. Now with a total of seven locations in Tampa, BurgerFi continues its aggressive expansion up the Eastern Seaboard.

“As Tampa continues to experience rapid population growth, BurgerFi is making it more convenient for local residents to bite into a juicy all-natural burger,” said Patrick Renna, President of BurgerFi. “BurgerFi is beloved by Floridians and the opening of these new locations is proof of our company’s commitment to providing the best burger experience across the state and the entire nation.”

BurgerFi aims to serve more spots in the Tampa Bay region

Here’s a quick glimpse at BurgerFi’s growth in the region:

The new restaurants are open seven days a week from 11am-10pm and offer online ordering via the BurgerFi app or its website for pickup or delivery. BurgerFi serves 100% All-Natural Angus Beef, crispy fresh-cut fries and beer-battered onion rings, which are proudly hand-cut with house made sauces. Other favorites include a chef-crafted VegeFi (a spin on a veggie burger), CEO Burger made with Premium American Wagyu Beef, Chicken, frozen custard, and local craft beer and wine.

The Award-Winning Better Burger Brand was named Fast Casual’s #1 Brand of the year for 2021 in the “Top 100 Movers and Shakers” list, and the top fast casual better burger chain in USA Today’s “10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards” for 2021. The company is also committed to sustainability and has designed the restaurants to be eco-friendly with chairs that were made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles, 100% energy-efficient LED lighting and Number 2 pine lumber wood-paneled walls.

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Lutz, United States, Jan. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- These new resources are addressed to businesses employing 5 to 500 full-time W2 staff, who may be able to claim significant funds according to the provisions of the Act. These funds may be available even if they have already taken advantage of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan.

More details are available at https://availabletaxcredit.com

The announcement of the new eligibility consultation services is intended to ensure customers are aware of all potential benefits available to them from the CARES Act.

The ERTC was originally available as a 2020 credit, along with PPP loans. Many businesses chose PPP loans, and the ERTC was not widely claimed until the American Rescue Act changed IRS regulations in March 2021. These changes made millions of businesses eligible for both PPP loans and the ERTC.

In 2020, the ERTC was a refundable tax credit of half of $10,000 in wages paid for each employee between March and December 2020 by an eligible employer, or up to $5,000 per employee. In 2021, the ERTC was increased up to 70% of $10,000 in wages paid per employee during the first 3 quarters of the year, or up to $21,000 per employee.

AvailableTaxCredit.com’s application portal allows participants to securely upload tax returns, PPP loan documents, and raw payroll data. Then their accounting professionals calculate the credit available from the IRS. They also prepare and help clients file amended payroll returns. Then the IRS processes the credit and mails the client a check.

The accounting group has a track record of success in helping small business owners secure the ERTC. Their successful clients include a hair salon, a single-location pizza shop, a home healthcare staffing firm, a non-profit ESL school, and a general contractor, who have claimed up to approximately $600,000 in relief.

As with the PPP loans, the ERTC funds will run out at some point. It is recommended to make application sooner than later. Clients can find out if they’re eligible free of charge.

A satisfied client said: “When the Employee Retention Credit was included in the CARES Act, we knew we wanted help navigating the guidelines, calculations, and paperwork so we could maximize our tax credit and get everything filed correctly. We were very pleased with the services.”

Equality Florida and local artist Chad Mize will debut a new new LGBTQ mural at Tampa Heights' Shuffle next week.

Equality Florida, the state’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization, raised over $23,000 at its recent Tampa Gala’s live auction to fund the art piece designed and completed by Mize.

A St. Petersburg resident, Mize bases his art in playful doodles and colorful patterns. His artwork can be found all around Tampa Bay, including Fairgrounds St. Pete, Gangchu Chicken & Beer, private residences and more. He has a mural just two miles north of Shuffle at Independent Bar & Cafe.

“Recent pushback at the state level continues to underscore why visibility is so important for our community,” Equality Florida Regional Development Officer Nick Machuca said. “We are proud to partner on this mural to celebrate the progress we’ve made in Tampa Bay and highlight the important work ahead.”

The mural came to fruition as Florida’s LGBTQ community suffered unprecedented attacks, like the Transgender Youth Sports ban, the removal of funding for LGBTQ programs from the state budget and the censorship of LGBTQ anti-bullying resources.

Tampa’s municipality, alongside Orlando, St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Oakland Park, Tallahassee, Wellington, West Palm Beach and Wilton Manors, have led the way of applying inclusive policies and has received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, which examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies and services are for LGBTQ people.

The reveal ceremony is set for Friday, Jan. 28 at 10:30 a.m. at Shuffle, located at 2612 N Tampa St. Mayor Jane Castor, Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith and local LGBTQ leaders will headline the ceremony.

The ceremony will be followed by an after party at 7 p.m., with live entertainment, art, shuffleboard and more. Half of the night's proceeds will be donated to Equality Florida.